St. Landry democrat., 1887-01-15

the motion OF the grass, but did not
speculate as to what it was. The coun.
try is overrun with hares, field rats and
other small and harmless animals. and
the fact that something was moving in
the grass would not have been consid,
cred by the natives as worth investigat-
ing. Twas looking ut the ground, but
thinking of matters in America, when
| suddenly caught sight of the head OF
a monstrcus serpent raised above the
grass. The head was steady for a few
minutes, and then moved slowly from
right to left and back like the pcndu-
lum of a clock. AT this time the REPTILE
was about hundred feet away, and
right at the edge of the tall grass. Be-
tween me and him the ground was bare,
the grass having been killed out by the
feet of the villagers.
suppose that there was still sufli-
clent poison in my system to deaden
my scnsibilities to u certain extent. /
telt no fear of the serpent, nor did
wish for my gun to give him Il shot.
had no fears Of the woman seated with
her back to the grass, nor for the native
fast asleep below me. This COM
placency on my part is to be accounted
for, as | said, on the ground that nv
nervous system had been deadened and
had not yet recovered its activity. The
serpent presently crawled into view.
and saw that it was q cobra of enorrn-
Gus size. As soon as the snake was
clear OF the grass he raised his head for
closer survey. The woman and the
man were about the same distance from
him, each being the side of triangle.
AS saw him hesitating about a choice,
| calmly reasoned that he would come
my way. He had two victims under
tree, and only one the other way. He
was long minute making up his mind,
and then he came creeping toward the
tree, head well up, eyes blazing, and
tongue darling in and out.
1t may be that the serpent saw the
sleeping man, but if so he had deter
mined on attacking me alone, perhaps
because was higher up and offered
him better show. When [ realized
that he was certainly coming my way
felt Jingle of excitement all through
my nerves, and at once shouted to the
sleeping servant. He cast off sleep and
sprang up, and 1 oppose this action
saved me, for the cobra had already
raised its head as high as the hammock.
As the native sprang up he could have
touched the snake. He saw it before
him, uttered shrek of terror, and
next instant was a victim. | saw the
snake strike him repeatedly in the face.
| think the poor fellow lost conscious
ness with the first attack, for the one |
scream was all he uttered
The alarm seemed to 90 all over the
village in moment, and the people at
once fastened up with drums, articles
OF tlnWare, and whatever would create
a din. They also shouted at the tops
Of their voices, and for minute or two
the cobra seemed undecided whether
to attack me or beat a hasty retreat. |
was sick and dizzy with the terror and
5he odor, and made no move to help
myself. That was doubtless the wisest
policy. | could have only emptied my
self out of the hammock upon the
ground beside him, and he certainly
would have resented my presence.
Twice he reared up as if he intended
o strike me, but the noise alarmed
lin. A young man finally came run
ling UP with a blazing torch, and this
vas hurled with such precision as to
light directly upon one of the cobra's
olds. He must have been badly scorch-
d, for he Kissed as loudly as an angry
lander, Topped himself about in ter
IDLE way, and then went off to the jun
lie at rapid rate. Then natives rush
d to the aid Of their poor fellow, who
vas unconscious and moaning in pitt
I'll way. They had half dozen RENE
les on hand, but none of them was of
he least avail. He died in about thir-
y-ive minutes, and the corpse was one /
the worst sights I ever beheld. 1t !
lrned green-black with the powerful
olson, and it swelled until one could ,
ardly believe the object had ever been s
human being. The natives examined ,
le face and reported that the serpent t
ad struck him five times. t
About six weeks after the adventure /
18th the serpent, and while lying in i
IMP about thirty miles distant, fine |
oportunity was given me to observe, I
ON single standpoint, the character T
tics Of the rhinoceros, the tiger, and f
snake Of a another species. We had t
IL camp in village which was half
eserted on account Of the proximity of b
bad rhinoceros and two or three man. S
sting tigers. A bad rhinoceros, it may v
} explained, is the same thing as bad f
ephant. It is one that has lost in a
il fight his leadership, and is driven p